HISTORY
Aloria from: CHRONICLE OF ALORIAN HISTORY 2430-2568 by Dr. Mortimer Long University of Sildar, Department of History and Government List of Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Aloria Libertarian Dominance (2430-2459) Alorian politics are dominated by the Moderate Libertarian Party (MLP) and the Constitution Party, with largely similar laissez-faire ideological goals. Their signature legislation is the “flat budget,” in which all ministries are awarded the same low amount of funding each year. The Democratic Rationalists (DRs) are new but emerging force under dynamic leadership of future President Solomon Kane. Their motto: "A New Order for the Ages." The Big Deal (2459-2474) Solomon Kane elected President as DRs align with Alorian Free Democrats (AFD). “Big Deal” economic reforms are enacted, including provisions for a minimum wage, and some expansions in health and social service programs. But funding remains sparse, as the MLP/CP coalition defeats most tax and budget bills necessary to implement the reforms. Kane’s proposed “Treaty for International Wage Standards” gains some traction abroad, but is never approved by the Senate. Budget Wars (2474-2520) DR/AFD alliance defeats the flat budget. Cuts are made to some ministries, increases are made to others. What follows are “budget wars,” as political battles are fought over how much funding each ministry will receive. Over the course of time, MLP and its allies dominate. The Presidency is held for a longtime by Libertarian Daniel Mansfield. Budgets for all ministries are drastically cut. By 2520, Alorian federal spending accounts for less than %1 of GDP. One general calls it a “miracle” that Aloria is not attacked by foreign invaders. In Ultran and to a lesser extent in Slidar, a new political phenomenon known as the "Publitrican Movement" of social conservative and economic progressive principles is emerging. Various factions are merged together under the leadership of Colgate Herman Johnson, a silver spoon wealthy elite. He runs as the Presidential Candidate on a Publitrican Party (PP) ticket, and has moderate success, though never coming close to winning. The party, which is later known as the Alorian Public Union (APU) picks up many seats in parliament. Progressive Renaissance Dawns (2520) Coalition consisting of DR, People's Reform Party (PRP), APU, Democratic Centrist Party (DCP), and the Alorian Free Democrats (AFD) unites to implement reforms including a voluntary national religion, and dramatic increases in the role of the national government in Alorian life. Over the course of about two decades, federal government spending rises from less than %1 of GDP to just under %20 of GDP. A mandatory living wage is enacted. Social Security, National Health Care, and National Welfare plans are enacted and sustained. Colton White of the Democratic Rationalist Party is elected President, replacing and defeating Mansfield, with the coalition's mandate. Nelson Cudderboard of the APU is elected by parliament as his Prime Minister. The Politics of Polarity (2527-2551) Despite their success in the Parliament, divisions within the progressive coalition prevent it from holding the Presidency, which the MLP regains after two terms of Colton White (who had decided not to run for a third term, instead selecting Prime Minister Cudderboard to run in his place as the coaltion canididate). Newly elected MLP President Jack Vincent attempts to reassert Libertarian power from the Presidential Palace when he orders the Cabinet disbanded, and locks all Cabinet heads out of the Old Executive Office Building. Finance Minister Sojourner Smart challenges the lockout in court. Chief Judge Carmine Delgado, an MLP appointee, writes an opinion declaring that Aloria's constitutional "separation of powers" between the Head of Government and the President bar the President from unilaterally shutting down the Cabinet. Though Vincent complies with the decision, Cabinet business remains held at the Lambrecht Office Complex, a building rented during the lockout as a temporary Cabinet headquarters. The Old Executive Office Building is converted first into a homeless shelter, and later into a museum. Vincent is not re-elected and the progressive coalition retakes the presidancy. Nelson Cudderboard is President for two terms, with former President Colton White as his Prime Minister. After Cudderboard's two terms, the coalition collapses over the issue of state-aknowledged religion. MLP recaptures the Presidancy with their candidate Vincento Vanzetti V, but libertarianism sees little success in its parliamentary bills and in crafting government policy. Hartsen Caddy of the APU assumes the Prime Ministership, as the old coalition parties seek to rebuild their alliance and regain the cheif executive seat. For decades however, Vanzetti is President, while the progressives control parliament and its Prime Minister Hartsen Caddy acts as the voice of opposisition to the Libertarian President. The Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) emerges as does the Progressive Conservative Party (PCP). The former will bloc with the progressives, the latter more so with the MLP. Rise and Fall of the Liberals (2551-2558) The newly formed Liberal Party bursts onto the scene, capturing the plurality of seats in the Parliament as well as the Presidential Palace in Libertia. However, Liberal Party support precipitously drops off over the course of the next two election cycles. Historians still debate the causes and nature of this flash in the pan movement. Their one term President Albert Mora, seeks to curb the polarity in politics, to little avail. Meanwhile, the DSP cements it alliance with the Progressive Coaltion. The United Republican Party (URP) emerges, as does the Proud of Aloria Party. A Nation Divided (2558-2568) President Ben Thompson of the Democratic Centrist Party is elected as the Progressive Coalition rallies to elect its first President in years. The War of Luthori Succession comes to Aloria's attention. The Gerahon (Luthori) Imperial Diet votes to amend its constitution to abolish the country's entrenched monarchy. Imperial forces rebel, enlisting the aid of fellow monarchist governments from around Terra. As it appears Republican forces will be defeated, talk begins in leadership circles of a possible intervention to "promote democracy abroad." Aloria's covert agency, DRACO, began operations in Luthori, the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs sent weapons and aid to the Republican Millitias, and 1,000 Alorian Advisors were sent as well. Terrorists affiliated with the MLP use explosives to destroy several military recruiting facilities across to protest possible Alorian intervention in Gerahon. MLP agents contact numerous soldiers to encourage them to desert. Some soldiers do, though the exact numbers are disputed. In some provinces, however, recruiting increases as a wave of patriotism sweeps the nation in response to the terror attacks. Articles of impeachment are submitted to the Parliament. Most parties do not vote on the bill. However, a majority of parties that do vote vote for President Thompson's impeachment. At his later trial, however, President Thompson is quickly acquitted of any wrongdoing. The MLP is censured by the Parliament for its affiliations with terrorists and slanders of the President. Much went into the next elections of 2565. Socialist Prime Minister William Fletcher, a big proponet of intervention in Luthori, ran as the candidate of the Progressive Coalition, the successor to President Thompson. The MLP ran former President and perenial candidate, son of the MLP President from decades ago, Jack Vincet Jr. The Election was big win for Fletcher, who soon sent 150,000 Alorian Troops to Luthori. The country was currently in a ceasfire, the intent was to strengthen the Republican side of the peace talks. Eventually, the war came to an end, and while throughout their deployment their was a ceeasfire, 148 Alorian soldiers were killed in guerillia raids. The Poltics of Coalition (2568-2575) Tired of losing to the Progressive Coalition, conservatives in the United Republican Party, the Proud of Aloria Party, and the New Liberals band together to form their own coalition, the Front for Liberty. Their goal is to appeal to center-right voters alienated by MLP's unyielding dogmatism. In 2568, Front For Liberty candidate Peter Alderson of the Proud of Aloria Party defeats President William Fletcher's bid for re-election, but the FFL coalition fails to win enough seats in Parlaiment to overcome the Progressive Coalition's majority there. Peter Alderson's proved to be a weak presidency, and next election saw an overwhelming defeat and Socialist and Progressive Coalition Candidate William Fletcher's re-election to that office. The Progressive Conservative Party, soon to be renamed the Conservative Union Party, added its party to the ranks of the Progressive Coalition. New Challenges and Triumphs for the Progressive Coalition (2575-?) Once by far the plurality party, MLP now saw itself undergoing an identity crisis, as the old party leadership is usurped by a once minor Libertarain Socialist faction. Vincento Vanzetti VII and Vincento Vanzetti VIII, grandson and great grandson of the President Vinceto Vanzetti V and thus part of what is considered part of the party's aristocracy, soon after were found dead at their respective homes. While local authorities ruled it a suicide, due to its ominous circumstances, then Minister of Justice Horatio Riley Herman, a distant relative of APU founder Colgate Herman Johnson and in his own right war hero of the Luthori War, ordered an investigation of the deaths. When the Libertarian Socialist Leadership of the new party refused to co-operate, he ordered a legally binding subpeona which parliament approved. The party still refuesed to co-operate, and in fact showed up at the parliamentary building armed. A full year after the Vanzetti deaths, the investigation was closed the deaths ruled a suicide. Still, as punishment for obstruction of justice Minister Herman had LS leadership who held law degrees disbarred and ordered that the party lose its adminstrative privelages in the parliamentary building as a large seat hold party revoked. When an independent court overtuned Herman actions, he resigned from his office. Later that evening, in a vicious act of vandalism, Vanzetti XVII corpse was thrown onto the front lawn of Herman's property. The recent controversy surronding the new party's leadership turned off many of MLP's old constituents. There was protesting and later riots at the party's convention in 2577, and soon the Libertarian Socialist faction was thrown out of its leadership role in the party. Former Libertarian President Jack Vincent Jr., now 83, again took up the mantle of party leadership, running as the party's presidential candidate later that year. Next Elections proved to be decisive for the Progressive Coalition. A boost in government spedning on Health and Human Services had recently caused an overall economic boom in Aloria, and thiss boded well for the Progressive Coalition. For the first time in centures. Presidential elections did not go into a second round, the Coalition's candidate Democratic Rationalist Millicent Smith winning in the first round with more then 52% of the vote. The Coalition also won 446 seats in the 750 seat parliament, its largest majority yet. All provinces but the long Libertarian stronghold of Krentori voted to grant its plurality of parliamentray seats to a Progressive party.